Drabble Collection
by gloss my eyes
Summary: A collection of unrelated drabbles for whenever inspiration strikes. Various pairings and ratings apply.
1. Afternoon Delight

**Afternoon Delight**

 **Pairing; Yus/Kura/Hi**

**Warnings; sexual implications**

* * *

"You don't suppose he's forgotten to meet us here again, do you?"

The fire demon squished between Kurama's body and the bedside wall blew out a puff of air between his pointed teeth. "I don't suppose I _care_."

"Of course you care," replied the fox, raking long fingers through coarse black hair. Hiei's head rested in the crook of his neck, allowing him easy reach. "You can't expect me to believe it doesn't anger you when he forgets. You look forward to this as much as I do."

Scowling against the sweaty column of Kurama's neck, the small demon said, "I'm not a pervert like some, fox. We don't need him."

"So you prefer it when he isn't present? What a shame; he'll be heartbroken to hear that."

A long-suffering sigh cascaded over Kurama's skin, sending shivers shooting wildly up his spine. "I didn't say that," Hiei growled, mildly irritated. "I'm only saying that it's his own loss if he doesn't show up."

Turning his head, the redhead glanced at the clock resting on the bedside table. Their third was nearly thirty-five minutes late and the two of them had already had at it once. They could go again out of spite, but Kurama knew well that Hiei in particular enjoyed the heat of passion especially when the other was present.

He would have been jealous, really, if he hadn't felt quite the same way. Hiei had been his partner in more ways than crime for long enough that he had felt no discomfort suggesting they bring a third lover the table, and lo and behold the little demon had only agreed once he'd heard exactly who Kurama had in mind.

"If he stands us up again," Hiei began, snapping Kurama out of his reverie, "we'll just have to maim him. I'll carve the meeting time into his arm with my sword. He won't forget after that."

Laughing softly, the redhead pressed his lips to the top of the grumpy demon's head. "No I suppose he wouldn't, little romantic."

A token grunt of disapproval was the fire demon's immediate response to Kurama's teasing. The fox was spared from any further comment, however, by a loud knock on the door of their usual motel room.

In a flash of impressive speed, Hiei had wrapped his cloak around himself and opened the door before the minute was up. Yusuke waltzed in without more than a "hey," shrugging off his jacket unceremoniously.

"You're late, Yusuke," Kurama mentioned, turning onto his side so that he faced the other two. Other than the look of mock anger dressing his face, the fox was bare. He did not miss the way warm brown sidled up and down his naked form before Yusuke donned a sheepish grin, face flushed deliciously from admiration. "We were beginning to think you'd forgotten about us."

The half-breed laughed freely, yanking at the crease of his shirt until it was untucked and he could pull it over his head in one swift motion. "Me? Forget about you? Not a chance in hell."

Behind him, the fire demon tossed his cloak to the tacky motel room carpet. Hiei's voice then dipped dangerously low when he murmured crankily, "he's not the only one you would be forgetting, idiot."

Yusuke turned on his heel to catch the fire demon by the arm, yanking his small body forward into a bruising kiss.

"I know that, spitfire," the Mazoku husked as he pulled away, smirking at the way that Hiei held onto his shoulders, breathless from their kiss.

No more time was spent on conversation; Hiei all but shoved the taller man onto the bed and climbed in as well. The rest of the afternoon was a blur of sweaty limbs, choked moans, and whatever lube was left in the bottle from last week's session (Hiei may have spilled some in his haste but Kurama had come prepared with extra, knowing the little demon's haphazard tendencies).

And although the trio had other duties to uphold - lives to go back to after all was said but mostly done - for those few, simple hours every week they were content to exist in a room with four white walls where everything else faded away except for the sound of each other's breathing and the slap of skin against skin.


	2. All Aboard to Abroad

**All Aboard to Abroad**

In which Yusuke is a modern, misunderstood thug who meets a charming stranger at the gate of his flight.

 **Warnings:** swearing.

* * *

With his bags fully packed, Yusuke Urameshi kissed his mother goodbye. Or he _would_ have, if she hadn't been "too busy" taking an important conference call in the middle of the fuckin' airport security line. The other travelers gave her dirty looks, but they were not nearly as wary of her as they were of her son standing not three feet away, scowling in all of his terrifying glory.

"I'm leaving now," he told her, huffing indignantly when she waved him along and turned on her expensive heels to saunter the other way through the line, still chatting with her corporate master who she was probably still sleeping with. "Mother of the year," the youth grumbled under his breath and heaved his bags up into a numbered bin to be checked. He also removed his expensive sneakers, his belt, and several gold chains from around his neck.

The female security guard pushing bins through the x-ray machine looked him over once with sharp eyes, probably assessing him as a potential threat even before he told her, sourly, to "take a picture lady, it'll last longer."

The rest of the security process went much the same way. No one seemed to trust this young man with his jet-black hair stiff with gel. His pants were too baggy, his wife beater was too tight, his gaze too menacing; he saw their eyes run up and down his arms, gawping at the multitude of tattoos that decorated them.

Yusuke Urameshi was a thug; it didn't take a genius to see that. All of them assumed without a second thought that he couldn't possibly be trusted; he had to walk through the metal detector twice before they would let him pass, convinced he had some secret weapon stashed somewhere and could go rogue on them at any moment.

Three pat-downs and a whole lot of cursing later, Yusuke finally made it to the gate of his flight, plopping down in a lone chair with a heavy sigh. He glanced at his wristwatch out of habit - he knew that his flight would be ready to board soon after the hold up at security, even though his mother had gotten him here earlier than he'd expected.

"Excuse me," a polite tenor voice interrupted, drawing Yusuke's eyes away from his gold rolex, "I don't mean to bother you, but perhaps you have the time?"

Before Yusuke stood a boy probably just about his age, dressed in tan slacks and a clean-pressed white oxford shirt underneath a cream sweater. Slung over his arm was a beige blazer, probably too warm to wear in this humid airport.

What really drew Yusuke's attention, however, was the boy's hair. It cascaded down his shoulders in a waterfall of crimson red that glittered in the sunlight pouring through the windows behind them.

"It's 10:36," Yusuke replied after what seemed like too long; the stranger's polite smile had taken on a sort of amused tilt, as though he knew that Yusuke was admiring him. "Is this um, your gate?"

"Yes, it is." His long legs carried him over to the seat a space away from Yusuke, taking up the plastic chair elegantly with legs crossed and hands folded neatly in his lap. His jacket now took up the space between them. "If I may ask, why are you headed to the States?"

And normally, Yusuke thought, that kind of sentence would be dripping with condescension. People always asked him questions that way, like he was dirt. Instead, it slid passed the stranger's oddly plush lips inclined more towards polite curiosity than anything else, so Yusuke took the opportunity for polite conversation and ran with it.

"Boarding school," he said, "because my mom thinks it'll be good for me. _I_ think that's just her excuse to send me far away where I can't tarnish her good name so publicly anymore."

Eyes of the deepest green Yusuke had ever seen appraised him sympathetically. "You do make _quite_ an impression on the eyes," Stranger said, in an odd sort of tone Yusuke couldn't place, "but I assume, as one always should, that there is more to someone than their appearance suggests."

Awkwardly shuffling his re-laced sneakers against the tile floor, Yusuke shrugged. "I guess. I live up to the stereotype, if that's what you're getting at."

He raised his fists suddenly, cackling when Stranger flinched at the movement. "I'm Yusuke Urameshi, bastard son of a rich and functional alcoholic businesswoman. To give her some credit, though," as though she really deserved any, "I was expelled from my last school and no place around would take me. My reputation precedes me, you could say."

A crimson brow quirked inquiringly.

"Haven't you ever met a bully before? I put a kid in the hospital, at least according to the rumors." A bitter laugh followed; in truth, he _did_ beat on plenty of kids at school. It was just that no one ever believed him when he claimed that more often than not, the other kid started it. It wasn't _his_ fault that no one could land more than one punch on him, though not for lack of trying.

Stranger, interestingly enough, didn't huff or scowl or run off to find a better seat next to someone who wasn't a deadbeat thug with a track record to back it up. Rather, with a twisted little smile decorating his face, he asked what school Yusuke was headed off to.

More interesting yet, when Yusuke answered, the boy's smile grew. "I'm Shuuichi Minamino," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet a new schoolmate so early on."

 _"You?"_ asked the dark-haired youth incredulously, jaw nearly hitting the floor. "You can't be fuckin' serious. Yates is a reform school, my mom never shut her trap about it. What could a guy like you be doing going to a school for assholes like me?"

A dark twinkle in those forest-green eyes made shivers run down Yusuke's spine. "Let's just say," Minamino purred, "you aren't the only one whose reputation proceeds him."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Don't ask, I have no idea where this came from. Could be continued in a later drabble. Kurama is supposed to come off as kinda crazy...which was not elaborated on but spoiler alert, he is. :x


	3. Drunk in Love

**Drunk In Love**

 **Pairing:** Hiei/Yusuke

 **Warnings:** implied sexual relations, swearing, alcohol use

* * *

Hiei had only tried alcohol a total of two times over the course of his life.

The first time, he had been very young. The troupe of bandits that had taken him in had told him it'd be good for him - he needed to loosen up, they said, and quit being so damned serious all the time. He'd taken one sip of that vile swill and spit it up all over himself, marking himself as the laughingstock of the camp for days on end.

The second time, and last, took place in the land of Tourin during Yusuke Urameshi's stay. It had been after a boring day of border patrol, after which he'd complained incessantly to Mukuro about. The demoness wanted no part of his whining, however, and demanded that he take his boundless energy somewhere else for a change.

Naturally, he'd went straight to Yusuke for a fight.

Neither used any complex moves; it was like it had been, recently, where they relied on basic martial arts and the strength in their muscles to pound the hell out of each other until neither of them could stand anymore. Usually at that point Hiei would collect his sword and drag himself back to the place he now begrudgingly referred to as "home."

After this particular sparring session, however, Yusuke had a suggestion that warranted an extended stay.

"Come on, man, just _one_ drink," he'd begged, making a half-assed attempt to sit up and jab Hiei in his (bruised) ribs. "Old man Raizen left quite a stash, and Hokushin and the rest of them don't touch the stuff so I have no one to drink with."

It may have been that he'd taken one two many blows to the head that day, or that he wasn't yet tired of Yusuke's company, but for some reason, the fire youkai had reluctantly agreed to 'just one drink.'

But with Yusuke, he shouldn't have expected it to stay that way. One drink turned to two, then to three, and on to four; before Hiei knew it he was groaning on the stone floor of Yusuke's bedroom, clutching his swimming head in hopes of making the world around them less blurry.

"This was a stupid idea," he slurred; Yusuke, on the bed, laughed like an enthusiastic hyena. "Why did I agree to this? Why do I even visit you, you juvenile brat?" He spoke without thinking, the unbidden words spilling from his numb lips like a waterfall. "You're unbearably annoying, do you know that?"

"You're fuckin' _drunk_ man, this is unbelievable," said the Mazoku in between embarrassing fits of giggles and snorts. "Just admit that you like me already, okay? It's okay if it's just this once, I'll pretend not to remember in the morning."

Hiei scowled at the riveted ceiling.

"That isn't the point," he mumbled, reaching for his nearly empty glass on the floor beside him to down the rest. The liquid ran down his throat like magma, hitting his stomach in a most unpleasant way that he'd somehow grown used to in the past hour and a half. "The question is, _why_ do I like you?"

Yusuke ceased his obnoxious laughter at once, as though Hiei's confession stole all of his breath away. Or had he hurt him somehow, by questioning the foundation for their friendship?

When the current Lord of Tourin continued to stay silent, Hiei heaved himself up off of the floor and stumbled to the bed, managing his aim just right as he plopped down on the large bed next to Yusuke rather than falling to the floor again. He turned on his side, noting the tightness in the other's jaw and his reluctance to meet Hiei's hazy gaze.

Then something happened that Hiei would never be able to fully explain; his brain-to-mouth filter inexplicably malfunctioned, and where he'd meant to say something vaguely apologetic to snap Yusuke out of it, what came out was, "you're cute when you pout."

The result was instantaneous: Yusuke turned on him with wildly surprised eyes, lips parted and gaping, and something deep and feral stirred within the gut of the fire demon. Hiei leaned in to devour that delicious, open mouth before the other had any chance to see it coming.

The next morning, after waking up naked and fit snugly at Yusuke's side, the fire demon silently untangled himself from the other and redressed, running full-speed back to Alaric not long before rounds were to be made. Clutching at his aching head, Hiei stumbled into Mukuro's chambers to make an appearance first, since he'd failed to return last night.

Mukuro took one look at his disheveled state and laughed; in his haste his cloak had been pulled on haphazardly, scarf half falling off, and the soft peaks of his hair were frayed even more so than usual (no doubt from last night's activities, he vaguely remembered Yusuke having a fascination with his hair).

The real kicker, though - the thing that gave him away - was the dark red mark on the side of his neck that could only have been left by Yusuke's mouth.

"A good night, I take it. Hopefully that boy didn't wear you out too much, as I expect you to perform all of your duties as exceptionally as always," the demon Lord told him, smiling coyly.

Hiei growled a curse under his breath, vowing never to take another sip of alcohol again.


	4. Domesticated

**Domesticated**

 **Pairing:** Yusuke/Kuwabara

 **Warnings:** mild language

* * *

"Would you just pick one already?"

Yusuke asked this for probably the tenth time in the past hour. It was as though they were stuck in some sort of trippy time loop where Kuwabara would duck down and peek into a cage, coo a little, and Yusuke would then ask the same damn question every time.

"Maybe," the other would always reply, "just let me look s'more."

Rinse and repeat, just like that, until the Mazoku was ready to grow out his hair long again if only to have more to rip out. "I swear Kuwabara," Yusuke threatened after what seemed like the twentieth cycle of his own personal hell, "if you don't pick a damn cat in the next five seconds I'm kicking your ass into next Tuesday."

The carrot-top scoffed, having leaned down to say hello to another furry friend with wiggling fingers. "As if, Urameshi. You like my ass too much to kick it any more."

* * *

 **A/N:**

So totally not my ship but I wrote it anyway.


	5. Between the Lines

**Between the Lines**

 **Warnings:** content of a sexual nature, implications

 **Pairing:** Hiei/Kurama

* * *

He'd never meant for things to turn out this way.

It was a little after the fact, all things considered. This wasn't the first time Hiei found his back pressed up against the cool wall of Kurama's childhood bedroom, after all, body bouncing with every thrust from the snapping hips his legs were wrapped around. Still, there was always this key moment, somewhere between start to climax, where the fire youkai would inevitably wonder _why_.

This time was no different. After a few more jolting motions Kurama stilled, leaning down to mouth at his partner's ear with soft, swollen lips from their previous kissing. "You've grown quiet again," he whispered. Though Hiei could not see it, he could feel the disapproving frown disgracing Kurama's features. "Are you not enjoying our time together?"

The small demon grunted noncommittally, tugging on a few unruly locks of that red mane Kurama preened over if only to annoy him further. "Did I ask you to stop?" the fire demon drawled, clenching his toned legs around that narrow waist to encourage Kurama to resume.

"No," the kitsune replied, soft tenor waves of his voice lapping at Hiei's ear, "but you have become increasingly quiet throughout these joinings of ours. I'm beginning to fear you're losing interest. Or worse yet..." And there the plant wielder hesitated, straightening his posture to fully observe Hiei's impassive face with a careful gaze.

"What could be worse than bruising your precious ego with my alleged disinterest?" the fire youkai groused, squirming beneath the weight of the other's calculating eyes. Much as he tried, Hiei could not completely mask his wariness any longer. Those dark, emerald eyes burned a hole through every wall he put in place; Kurama could read him as easy as a book, pure and simple, like Hiei's thoughts were written all over his face. No one had ever known him quite like Kurama did. He had never allowed it.

Perhaps that was why what the fox said next came as no surprise: "I suspect, Hiei, that you believe _I_ will lose interest in _you_. Don't think I haven't noticed your recent detachment. You must be wondering why I've allowed you into my bed in the first place."

"We haven't done it on the bed," the smaller one hissed, deliberately avoiding the accusation. It stung - but only because Kurama was right. He was always right.

The affirmation must have shown in his expression because next the redhead sighed softly, leaning back down to caress the other's lips with his own if only chastely. "Haven't you realized it yet, Hiei? I have no intention of ever letting you go."

And Hiei had learned enough long ago to read between the lines of what Kurama spoke and what he did not; the silent message, _"I love you,"_ was clear.

"Hn. That will do," Hiei murmured, rejoining their mouths in an amorous battle. And the fire youkai could taste it in the way the other smiled; Kurama could read between the lines as well.

* * *

 **A/N:**

I actually wrote something without Yusuke (what no way)?

Low-key inspired by BlackSilkenRose, the Kurama to my Yusuke.

Not my best work but I posted it anyway. Thanks for reading.


	6. Warmth

**Warmth**

 **Pairing:** Unrequited Kurama/Yusuke

 **Warnings:** None

* * *

"You're just never gonna say anything?"

The soft voice to his left no more surprised Kurama than Yusuke appearing out of the ether had. He stood close enough to the elder Kuwabara sibling to catch a nicotine buzz from all the smoke she exhaled, but dared not move away.

Instead, he watched their friends (and family, in her case) play in the water, splashing and laughing like nothing had ever changed. Like Yusuke hadn't been gone for two years; like Keiko's body hadn't filled out into soft, womanly curves; like Yukina and Kuwabara didn't exchange shy, fleeting glances of budding love every time their eyes met.

Shizuru suddenly coughed from the cigarette smoke, or perhaps to regain his attention.

"I have nothing to say," Kurama responded smoothly, as though she had just posed her question seconds ago. His tone remained purposefully even but his broad shoulders sat tense.

The woman scoffed, flicking burnt ash to the sandy landscape on which they stood. "I thought you were supposed to be good at lying."

Emerald eyes slid her way carefully, ringed with frost. To keep up appearances for wandering gazes a pleasant smile dressed the redhead's lips; the words that slipped passed them, however, were sharper than he intended: "What you _think_ is not truly my concern."

"No," Shizuru agreed, flashing him a tight smile, "I guess it wouldn't be." The woman then tossed her cigarette to the sand and snuffed it out with her boot only to pull out another and light up. "I'm just saying," she went on after the first puff, "you'll never know what _he_ thinks if you don't say anything."

The contours of his face softening considerably, Kurama acquiesced.

"That's the intention, yes. You see him with her. He's happy." The fox's expression turned puzzled as he watched her. "Shouldn't you be discouraging me? Keiko is more your friend than I am, no offense intended."

"None taken," Shizuru replied breezily, smoke billowing from her nose as her low words carried over, "but I'm impartial in the matters of love. It's not my place to say who should be with who, you know? It wouldn't be fair of me to say you _shouldn't_ tell him, because you've got just as much right to love him as she does."

Kurama laughed without mirth, still managing to appear perfectly at ease. Within, however, his human heart throbbed pitifully at the notion. "You're very kind to say so. But the point still remains. He is happy, and I cannot in good conscience interfere with that."

He, of course, realized that he had never been known for his good conscience.

She, too, seemed skeptical: "If you say so."

As the two of them fell silent, his eyes once again wandered over to the form of one Yusuke Urameshi, dressed in dripping wet clothes and a smile with more warmth and light than a thousand suns could provide. And if, at the very least, Keiko could keep those smiles on his beautiful face, Kurama could be content to admire from afar.

Or he hoped so until his presence was acknowledged and chocolate brown clashed with forest green. That smile only widened into an unabashed grin; Kurama's heart nearly burst out of his chest, fluttering violently against the cage of his ribs.

And then Yusuke looked away, back to the woman he was destined to marry. Yet the kiss of warmth from his smile remained like an imprint on the fox's skin, and Kurama swore he would never let it fade.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Remember, feedback is love. :)

This drabble is semi-inspired by The Language of Flowers, a work by the brilliant and talented Effing (Ramen) on AO3. If you haven't read her work I would highly suggest doing so.


	7. Expectations

**Expectations**

 **Warnings:** sexual content, probably bad writing, weird Uni AU

 **Pairing:** Hiei/Kurama

* * *

Life as a college student was not as Kurama had expected.

First of all, the student body was, at best, a hot mess. The redhead could not wrap his brilliant mind around the idea that one could spend things of such value (money and time) only to squander it all away partying half the night and missing class every other day.

The second problem was the lack of engagement in the classroom. The professors knew their lessons inside and out, yes, but had probably gone over the same material time and time again to the point where their routine seemed monotonous and bland. There existed a certain degree of nonchalance at this particular University that Kurama, as a notorious overachiever, could not grow used to.

The last and most pressing problem at date was the matter of his roommate. Quite anal about his privacy, the twenty-two year old had been very nervous about sharing space with a stranger in the first place.

The first - Yusuke Urameshi - had been obnoxious and rude, and while Kurama mostly got along with him the partying and dirty underwear strewn about all the time became too much.

Luckily for Kurama, his problematic roommate and he shared a mutual friend by the name of Kazuma Kuwabara.

The tall man was also desperate to switch roommates, citing that his current one constantly berated him and had a disturbingly dark taste in music and weaponry. While this did not sound entirely appealing to the redhead either, at the very least Kazuma had mentioned he was quiet and neat.

So in the end it was agreed between all of them that a swap would be the best course of action. Kurama put in a request with the school boarding committee as soon as possible and was approved the next day (which Kazuma found suspicious, being that the committee was comprised mainly of middle-aged females that tended to fawn over Kurama and his unimaginable charm).

All of that was why, when Kurama returned to his dorm room late one evening, he was unsurprised to find an unfamiliar body taking up the bed opposite his. Striking, almond-shaped eyes the color of fresh roses appraised him as he entered the room.

"You must be Hiei," said Kurama, smiling politely.

" _You_ must enjoy stating the obvious," Hiei returned tonelessly, his piercing stare never leaving Kurama's face. "I read your little note and I must say, the list of 'expected behavior' was quite welcoming."

Sighing softly the redhead strode over to the desk on his side of the room and set down his things, careful to place them in their preferred positions. His books were stacked neatly at the right edge of the shiny surface while his notebook took up the center, pen at the ready beside it. Kurama never deviated this routine.

"It's not a list of expectations," he replied finally, after arranging his desk the way he was accustomed to, "it was a blurb of friendly suggestions." Kurama then turned back to the other, polite smile only minimally strained. "To make our living arrangement easier, of course."

Hiei's expression lost some of its blankness when he snarled, "what you're really saying is that I should adhere to your ridiculous standards or you'll have me put out, isn't that it?"

Head tipping to the side inquisitively, Kurama regarded the other with calculating eyes. They had exchanged very few words and yet already, venom coated the boy's tongue like he had been insulted thrice over.

Quick to anger had not been a detail touched upon by Kazuma.

Amongst other things, of course, such as Hiei being immeasurably attractive. Right this moment he wore nothing but loose black slacks, leaving the hard planes of his torso open for observation. Kurama spent more than a few seconds drinking that in before moving on to his hair which was impossibly spiked and colored with hues of black, blue, and strangest of all: white.

Realizing that Kurama had become distracted, Hiei snapped his fingers once to break the trance.

"My apologies," the redhead quickly supplied, "I just remembered I forgot my workbook at the lab. All that I truly ask of any roommate is that they keep their space tidy and noise is kept to a minimum. Now if you'll excuse me."

And Kurama may have imagined it, but he could have sworn that when he turned to abruptly leave the room Hiei was smirking.

* * *

Life as a college student with Hiei as a roommate was even more unexpected.

After their first meeting, things between them progressed very slowly.

Hiei turned to hostility more often than most, but Kurama found that it intrigued him more than annoyed him because otherwise the boy was like a blank slate, toneless and expressionless. The redhead soon came to the decision that it would be a fun game to see how many times he could curl the straight, thin line of Hiei's lips into a sneer, or paint a hue of emotion in those rose red eyes if even for a fleeting moment.

As he soon figured out, pushing Hiei's buttons was not a difficult task.

His height, his strange coloring, and his ineptitude at mathematics were all taboo subjects and one word about any of them would result in a severe scowl. If Kurama pressed him further the boy would hiss unabashedly about all of Kurama's faults which included but was not limited to: how long he hogged up their shared bathroom in the morning (using most of the time to brush out his hair), his bizarre desk rituals, his weekly phone call with his mother, and his narcissistic tendency to check the mirror on the back of their door before leaving their room.

However, no matter what reaction from the other he received, Kurama found that it never seemed to satisfy him. He wanted to know more about Hiei than he could discover just by goading him.

The obvious solution was to begin asking him more and more personal questions as time went on. Kurama suspected he wouldn't answer right away or perhaps not at all, but on occasion when faced with incessant (and purposeful) babbling, the other would indulge the redhead with a little information.

Kurama learned that twenty year old Hiei enjoyed running during high school and had even earned himself a scholarship to college through his athleticism. He _did_ have a sweet tooth but worked out every day at campus gym to keep in shape. He practiced kendo as well, and a prized possession of his was a genuine sword made with Japanese steel. The other prized possession, or at least Kurama assumed, was the necklace he wore every day. He'd asked about it once but it was quickly tucked into Hiei's shirt as he was told to mind his own business.

Somehow, despite several setbacks, it almost seemed like flirting.

The turning point in their relationship was a rather standard evening for Kurama; he had attended all of his classes, worked on his lab assignments, and spent a few hours tutoring a few other knowledge-seeking students down at the library. By the time he reached his room the redhead was feeling accomplished but tired, ready to dress in his pajamas and hit the mattress for the night.

When he opened the door, however, he discovered that Hiei had hit the mattress in a far different way. A rather _provocative_ way, in fact, shirtless and sweaty and one hand down his pants. Embarrassment wasn't a strong enough word to cover either of their expressions.

"If I'd known you had a date tonight Hiei, I would have stayed out longer," teased Kurama, attempting to ease the sting of awkwardness between them with an air of humor.

Hiei said nothing, clearly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

As Kurama moved to perform his usual desk routine he spoke, keeping his voice soothing and even. "It isn't anything to be ashamed of, you know. I hope I didn't imply that with my teasing." Books to the right, notebook in the center, pen beside it. He turned his head almost painfully slow, hoping he allowed the other enough time to readjust himself.

Rather, Hiei had not moved. Rose red eyes darkened with lust pinned him on the spot. "I'm not ashamed," the dark-haired boy husked, a jerking motion taking place within the dark fabric of his pants. "Are you?"

And Kurama realized it suddenly like an splash of cold water to the face: the door had been unlocked. Hiei knew his schedule well enough by now to plan this accordingly. It was not a mistake: he was meant to walk in on this.

"I am not," the older of the two confirmed, albeit reluctantly. "It's pointless to lie about my attraction to you when you are obviously aware."

Hiei snickered, breath hitching slightly as his pace increased. "You danced around the idea too much. I got bored of waiting." With the index finger of his free hand Hiei beckoned him, and for reasons he couldn't quite comprehend, Kurama complied.

* * *

Life as a college student with a live-in boyfriend was better than Kurama expected.

* * *

 **A/N:**

So I realize this is too long to really be a drabble but it's also too short to really stand on it's own so here it is...And as always, I have no clue. Thanks for reading.


	8. Love Drunk

**Love Drunk**

 **Pairing:** Yusuke/Hiei

 **Warnings:** None

 _Continuation from Drabble #3, "Drunk in Love"_

* * *

"You've been avoiding me."

Hiei, who had been vigorously slicing apart a thick tree with the sharp edge of his sword, stopped short at Yusuke's voice. He'd felt him approaching minutes before but rather than run like he had been doing as of late, he chose to stand his ground. No sense in delaying the inevitable, he figured.

It was only a few more unenthusiastic slashes later that he mumbled "nonsense," though he knew the Lord of Tourin probably wouldn't buy it. Sure enough, as red eyes slanted the detective's way he caught the twist of a smirk along with a soft sigh. Yusuke looked much the same as the last time they spoke-wild, powerful, hair loose from lack of gel. It reminded the fire youkai of the very night he'd spent weeks trying to forget.

"No sense telling lies, you mean," Yusuke said, drawing Hiei's attention away from long legs and painted on jeans. The smaller of the two growled, though whether it was an act of denial or an acquiescence neither could be sure. "It wasn't _that_ bad, was it? The sex? From the way you almost set my bed on fire, I figured you probably enjoyed yourself."

Memories buried deep within burbled to the surface of the smaller demon's mind, painting the image of a much sweatier Yusuke sprawled out on velvet soft sheets behind Hiei's tightly shut eyes. The core in his chest heaved a pitiful pang, though whether from regret or from longing he could not decipher.

Opening his eyes, he settled on a grimace, purposefully meeting the detective's molten eyes as though daring him to challenge his next statement. "I never claimed to have a problem. You assumed."

Yusuke laughed, a free sound, sauntering forward to stand only inches away. He leaned close to Hiei's face, smile stretched wide, placing a gentle hand against the wood of the tree the fire youkai had all but dissected.

"You're right, in a way. I did assume," and there he leaned closer, sweet breath fanning across the other's face, "that you were scared to see me again. Scared you'd want more, maybe. Scared that I would think it was a mistake."

Hiei, rigid, held his breath.

Their parted lips danced centimeters apart; Yusuke's body naturally drew him in, made him want to touch, to grab, to thrust him against the dilapidated tree-

"And even if it was a mistake," the Mazoku husked, so close Hiei could almost taste the spicy tang of his tongue, "it'd definitely be the kind I wouldn't mind making again."

And before Hiei knew it he was clutching Yusuke's red jacket, bracing his bare back against unforgiving bark with his legs wrapped tight around Yusuke's waist.

He's sworn to himself to never taste a drop of alcohol again, and to that oath he would stay true. But to never sample the sin of Yusuke's wet, welcoming mouth against his was something Hiei was not sure he could go without anymore.


	9. Something Better

**Something Better**

 **Warnings: ** fluff, minor language

 **Pairing:** Yusuke/Kurama

* * *

"Something is bothering you," came a voice from his left.

Sprawled on his side underneath the cool shade of the tree he had been occupying since yesterday afternoon, Yusuke huffed a quiet breath of defiance.

He inclined his neck ever so slightly, just enough for his sullen brown eyes to catch a flash of bright, bubbly magenta before Kurama took a seat on the billowing grass in front of him. It made it rather hard to avoid looking at him, but stubborn was the detective's middle name.

That, or dumbass.

"What gave you that idea?" he asked the fox, swiping a finger underneath his nose disinterestedly.

Kurama leaned forward at his delicate waist to study the younger boy; the breeze between them carried the scent of fresh roses and wry amusement to Yusuke's nose.

"Kuwabara informed me you've been sulking here for nearly a full day. He's concerned."

"That gossipmonger can sit on a thumbtack for all I care. It's none of his damn business." He leveled a fierce glare at the redhead when he added, "just like it's none of yours. Get lost fox boy, I'm busy."

"Busy killing the grass upon which you lay?" Kurama asked, tone infuriatingly light and playful. He seemed to pay no heed to the young detective's foul mood, deciding all at once his position wasn't comfortable enough and sprawling out in a way that was parallel to the other's body. "I'll join you, then. You look rather lonely."

The gleam in those soft, emerald eyes told Yusuke that Kurama could see something else, too, in the lines of his body, but Kurama was tactful enough not to bring it up.

So they lay together there for what seemed like hours; Yusuke picked apart blades of grass with his fingernails and Kurama studied him quietly. It was maddening and infuriating while also calming, in a strange way-there was no pressure to speak, or to even glance at the redhead more than once every few moments.

He supposed, though, that the cunning fox knew Yusuke would eventually crack.

"Shit." he growled, rolling onto his back to glare up at the swaying branches overhead, "you're not giving up, are you?"

"Not at all," replied Kurama in a voice like smooth silk. "Considering I feel like your behavior is partially my fault, I'll gladly take responsibility in helping you sort through this."

Clenching his teeth, Yusuke looked anywhere but to that perfect, flawless masterpiece Kurama called his face; he couldn't risk slipping up and saying something stupid because he was hypnotized by the soft brush of parted lips against each other as Kurama spoke or the way those thick lashes fluttered perfectly against bronzed cheeks. "There isn't anything to 'sort' through. You made it clear nothing was gonna happen with us and that's fine."

What he didn't say was, _and you can't blame me for sulking about it you beautiful piece of shit._

After that revelation Kurama went very quiet for a long while-long enough that Yusuke couldn't take it a second longer, gaze swinging to the kitsune's face.

And Yusuke's breath stuck in his throat.

Kurama was smiling.

"Yusuke," he whispered in the tone of a lullaby meant to soothe and unruly child, "you misunderstood. I only meant that it wouldn't be fair to take any untoward actions while you still had other attachments."

The younger man blinked, puzzled.

"Keiko," the redhead clarified without further prompting, smirking at the confusion ghosting across the planes of the other's face. "I'm speaking of Keiko."

"Keiko," Yusuke parroted, brows furrowing thoughtfully, "is my best friend. She deserves better than I could ever give her." He shrugged helplessly as an afterthought, "but anyway, we broke up."

The spark of surprise that flashed behind the green of Kurama's eyes vanished only a second after Yusuke caught it. "A mutual thing, I presume?" _Certainly not because of me, I hope_ was severely implied by the redhead's tone of voice.

Sighing softly, the ex detective twisted back onto his side, better to meet the fox head on. "Of course. It's for the best. Her and I weren't meant to be like that."

"And what of you and I?" Kurama leaned closer then, the sweet floral perfume of his breath warming the other's chest as Yusuke inhaled it greedily. "Do you believe we're meant for something more?"

And as Yusuke yanked the other forward by the front of his uniform for a bruising kiss as an answer, he knew without a doubt that they were headed for something better.

* * *

 **A/N:**

shameless fluff for y'all. I've been reading way too much of it lately so forgive me.

Thanks for reading.


	10. Opportune Moment

**Opportune** **Moment**

 **Warning:** language...maybe implications if you squint.

 **Pairing: ** implied Hiei/Kurama, potential YusKuraHi

* * *

It all had to start somewhere.

For Yusuke, it began just a few short weeks after returning from the Makai. In his two year absence, his mother had faired decently but could not shake her decade old habit of going out on week-long benders; often times, home felt more like a void of what used to be.

He'd tried staying at the Kuwabara's, for a while, but the arrangement ended not long after the elder sibling realized the two young men could not cohabitate and more often than not Yusuke distracted Kazuma from his studies.

He was then ushered from there to Genkai's temple, which was peaceful if not painfully inconvenient. The compound was purposefully isolated and while Yusuke (secretly) enjoyed spending odd hours arguing with his beloved mentor he could not help but miss the bustling city life and all the friends of his that still lived there.

So when the young-man-turned-demon caught wind of an old acquaintance procuring a proper apartment for himself, Yusuke could hardly help but intrude. Kurama welcomed him into his small studio apartment on the basis that he pay rent and help out with the chores; the fox, after all, could never be expected to give away anything for free.

The first few weeks went smoothly; for all his high maintenance Kurama did not make for an annoying roommate and seemed to be more amused by Yusuke's lack of manners and homeliness than anything else. The raven haired Mazoku went about his business at the ramen stand to keep a steady income, the redheaded fox worked at his father's company on the daily, and the two of them seemed to cohabitate well.

That remained the case until, one fateful evening Kurama was at the office late and Yusuke had just exited the shower with a fluffy pink towel wrapped loosely around his trim waist. The obtrusive symphony of metal clattering to the linoleum lit a fire in the Mazoku's blood like a struck match - he had stomped to the kitchen with his index finger raised in a matter of blinks.

He would have fired, too, if the target hadn't been so startlingly familiar.

"You...smell like Kurama's shampoo," Hiei snarled, distantly, as though he couldn't quite believe what his narrowed red eyes observed. In his left hand he clutched an open carton of chocolate milk, raised just enough to nearly grace his thin lips. A few cupboard doors hung open, as though he'd been looking for something (perhaps a cup), although all he had managed to do was make a mess with the pots and pans on the floor. "Are you going to say something detective, or just stand around half-naked and gawking?"

Yusuke flushed hotly, hiking up the towel on his waist more securely. He couldn't quite meet Hiei's probing gaze yet he stood his ground, hands on hips. The flowery aroma that drafted from his skin probably didn't add any extra points towards manly dignity, but at the very least, he tried: "How the hell did you get in here, three eyes? Kurama's got _everything_ booby trapped," he hissed, "even the fuckin' bathroom window. Paranoid bastard."

Hiei scoffed, gulping down long mouthfuls of milk before setting the empty carton on the marble counter next to the fridge. "The guard plants recognize my youki. I'm allowed come and go as I please." The shorter demon shot forward in a streak of black, suddenly taking up a seat at the dining room table. "I assume he failed to mention that."

"As Botan would say, 'bingo.' And," Yusuke drawled carefully, taking a seat adjacent from the fire youkai, "I'm guessing he didn't really tell you about me, either?"

"That he's bedding you, is that what you're implying?"

The little demon's fist clenched against the pale ceramic of the dining table, though he didn't strike out. Yusuke spluttered helplessly, torn between hilarity and complete and utter awkward shock. "B-bedding me? I sleep on his goddamn couch! Hiei, why would you even - "

Of course it was at that very moment that Kurama opened the door to his small abode, fully aware of his guests' identities. What he did not expect was the two identical blushing glares, silently demanding that he explain the situation to both of them, and _swiftly_.

Rather than face the situation directly however, the fox merely smiled politely and deposited his bags of groceries on the kitchen counter. "Somehow I knew you'd be dropping by today Hiei," Kurama remarked, removing a package of meat from one paper bag. "I purchased some quality pork cutlets to make for dinner tonight."

Neither person in his present company said a word, but he could feel their fierce glares prickling at the back of his neck. No doubt they both wished to throttle him.

With a smile so bright that it overpowered even the most heated glare, Kurama turned his alluring emerald gaze on the two of them and walked slowly, carefully, to the rounded juncture of the table between the two hostiles. He leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Hiei's head, earning himself a few choice words from the demon projected into the back of his mind, before he repeated the same action upon the other dark haired beauty. Yusuke turned a fetching shade of red, not unlike the color of Kurama's crimson mane.

"I had meant to discuss this with the both of you privately beforehand, but I suppose now is as good of a time as any." The kitsune looked between the two of them warmly, noting their matching gazes of absolution confusion, before concluding, "and while I prepare dinner, I'd like the two of you to get reacquainted. We're bound to be spending quite a lot of time together if I'm correct in assuming this arrangement can comfortably fit three." And with a sly wink, he added, "if you understand what I mean."

* * *

 **A/N**

it's been a while so I decided to write something totally random. Dunno how I feel about it. Hope you like it!


	11. Mistake

**Mistake**

 **Pairings:** Yusuke/Keiko, Unrequited Hiei/Yusuke

 **Warnings:** cursing, mentions of sex

* * *

"Where is your father?"

The voice from the branch above did little to startle him, now.

Before he had became a man in his own right, the sudden appearance of a certain cloaked apparition demanding to know the whereabouts of his father had terrified him.

By now, Takashi had learned to sense the faint twinge of hot energy before the demon had his chance to speak and was no longer taken by surprise. He seemed especially fond of Takashi's training grounds deep in the forest; the man had found Hiei napping in the trees on more than one occasion during early morning sessions.

"He's visiting my mother's grave, Hiei," the man answered, only slightly standoffish. "You know he does so every day."

Warm sepia eyes snuck a glance upwards, just in time to catch a twist of the demon's lips. Hiei was perched on a lone branch not more than thirty feet from the ground, bare chested and looking haggard, hand shaking unsteadily upon the trunk of his preferred tree. Takashi frowned, unaccustomed to seeing his father's friend looking so worse for wear. "Did you get into a fight? You know my father isn't much of a healer. You'd be better off finding Miss Yukina."

Takashi did not miss the way Hiei's wildfire eyes narrowed, nor the guilt that burned within them before flickering out altogether.

"Besides," the man went on after a smothering silence, tilting his head in a cocky way that reminded everyone of his father, "can't you just locate him with your jagan eye? You've never had any issue finding me."

"If you bothered checking," came the demon's scathing reply, "you would know that he has masked his energy." Hiei then muttered something quietly under his breath, though with his enhanced hearing Takashi could guess that Hiei had added, "and the bastard does it as well as that damned fox does."

With a soft laugh, the one and only son of Yusuke Urameshi rolled his shoulders once to loosen any tension built up from craning his neck to observe the demon, and faced his series of targets once again. His slender body, dressed in loose black slacks and a sleeveless green shirt, eased into his preferred stance, right hand curled around his left wrist with one index finger extended. Before he unleashed a barrage of energy bullets upon the trees marked with bullseyes, he could have sworn he heard Hiei mumble, "you look just like him."

When he smoothed back his midnight hair and turned to grin at the apparition, Hiei was already gone.

* * *

As a matter of principle, or perhaps a tiny bit of sentimentality forthcoming in his growing age, Yusuke visited the grave of his departed wife every day just after dawn.

Some days he would bring a steaming mug of tea with him to sip at while he told her of how much their son had grown, what a smart and sensible young man he had come to be. Some days he would bring a blanket, sprawl out on the ground with it and never say a word.

Some days, like today, his mug was filled with dark, pungent liquor strong enough to knock a grown horse off it's legs. He would yell; curse at her for leaving him until his throat was raw and achy.

"You died too soon," he screamed today as he kneeled at her grave, words slurred and vision blurry. "You weren't supposed to leave us, Keiko! I know I'm a jerk but Takashi was a little boy, never did a bad thing a day in his life...you shouldn't have left him this way! Shit, you shouldn't have left _me_!" The rest of his words turned garbled, little mumbles that were swept away with the wind.

He did not try to speak again, not with the choking sensation of sobs at the back of his gullet. He let himself drown instead, washed over by the grief he'd still to this day never learned how to deal with.

Yesterday had been better.

Today he was lost, and had no desire to be found. So when a calloused hand smacked down on his shoulder, Yusuke jerked away as though he'd been burned.

He had not expected company. It had become a habit, really, to mask his energy signature so completely. Even drunk out of his mind, clawing at the ground and cursing at the sky, he reflexively hid himself away from searching eyes.

Yet they found him anyway, those eyes of red like molten cherries.

"I thought I told you to stay away from me," Yusuke croaked on a snarl, scuffling along the grass on his butt to put more space between the two of them.

Hiei stood stoically, one arm outstretched as though he couldn't bare to drop the arm that had touched the other man moments before. "You're drunk," the apparition remarked, his gaze carefully neutral. "It isn't even noon yet."

"Yeah, and? You're not my fucking mother, although actually she'd probably be proud, following in her footsteps and all."

"If you weren't such an idiot, you'd realize I was only trying to tell you that you look like shit," said the fire demon, a dark little smirk dressing his lips.

Yusuke chuckled hollowly, adjusting the collar of his beat-to-hell red jacket that he had never had the heart to get rid of. Stretching out his jean clad legs in front of him nonchalantly, he returned, "I could say the same to you, three eyes. Who the hell kicked your ass?"

"Mukuro tried, if you could call it that."

"She heard about our pathetic romp in the sack then, I take it?" Yusuke asked with a cruel sneer, intent to sting.

Hiei gave no indication of being fazed by the jab, shrugging absently after letting his arm finally drop. "She seems to think I'm too distracted to be of any use to her anymore. Says my loyalties have shifted."

"What, she thinks you're my bitch now because we fucked?" Yusuke threw his head back in empty laughter, staring intently at the clouds overhead. "You and I both know it didn't mean anything."

For many moments the fire demon hovered silently, allowing himself to absorb the gravity of the other man's words. It had been fifteen years since the ex-detective's wife had passed; their boy had only been five at the time. Yusuke looked the same as he always did, though lacking the stiff gel in his hair and the smile on his face.

After all this time, Hiei had wondered. Had hoped, almost, if he could admit such a thing to himself, that Yusuke could have realized. What happened that night, not so long ago, meant more to Hiei than he'd ever say. But Yusuke couldn't move on from his lost love. Refused, as stubbornly as expected.

Finally, deciding that he could take silence no longer, Yusuke moved, shooting the fire demon a pointed glance. Daring him to argue perhaps, or confess - Hiei didn't know. He could not see what emotions lingered behind the haze of liquor that glossed the other's eyes.

Hiei swallowed once, thickly, and said quietly, "it doesn't matter what it meant or didn't . I don't make the same mistakes twice."

The meaning was not lost on him, but before Yusuke could even open his mouth to spit a hasty reply the fire demon had already fled.


	12. Under the Stars

**Under the Stars**

 **pairing:** Hiei/Yusuke

 **warnings:** foul language

* * *

Hiei could have never predicted that he could regret his alliance with a certain redheaded fox so much, but here he was, ankle deep in mud, trudging through the forest with Spirit World's most hardheaded detective to date at his back. This would not be so annoying, the demon figured, if said detective could shut up about that blasted fox for more than thirty damn seconds.

"I don't see why we have to be the ones to do this," grumbled Yusuke, wincing at the sound of wet suction that accompanied removing his feet from the mud one step at a time. "Kurama knows where this plant thing is better than we do."

The fire demon sighed, loudly, and walked on impatiently. "I owe him a favor, as I thought I already explained to you." Glancing back with a sharp glare to Yusuke's smirking face, Hiei added, "twice."

That stupid smirk Yusuke wore twisted into something resembling a shit-eating grin as they walked.

"Yeah, but man this is a boring favor if I ever heard'a one. If you owed me a favor I'd make you tapdance or streak through Spirit World or something, not take a hike through the damn forest for a friggin flower. _Shit_ ," the detective cussed; Hiei looked back again to notice, amusedly, that the detective had lost his shoe to the mud. "I hate hiking."

Some time (and a lot of unnecessary bitching, in Hiei's opinion) later, they made their way through a valley of rolling grass and the demon suggested they take a rest. Yusuke had been whining about his 'tired ass, dirty as shit' feet for about twenty minutes, and Hiei had heard the sound of running water in about half that time. "Wash up," he said, nodding in the direction of the babbling brooke to their right. "We're close to the falls where the flower is said to grow, so don't play in the water for too long, detective. I'd like to get this over with."

Yusuke stuck his tongue out at the demon, which didn't really help his case any if he was offended over being called childish. "Kurama would have let me _play_ for however long I wanted, seeing as how I'm out here doing this stupid favor with you, asshole."

He stalked over to the stream and shucked his beat-to-hell sneakers off, then dipped his toe into the water, testing the temperature. It must not have been frigid, for he plopped down and went to work yanking his skin tight jeans up, likely so they wouldn't get wet as he dunked his feet into the stream.

"And that's the part I don't understand the most," the boy said minutes later, after Hiei had settled on a nearby boulder to keep an eye on their surroundings. "You're perfectly capable of doing this by yourself, and nothing in human world is gonna give you a run for your money, besides me. This isn't a two man job, three eyes."

"Your point being?"

"My point being," the detective snapped as he scrubbed at his feet, "is that I don't get why I got dragged into this shit."

For awhile, Hiei gave no reply. He watched as the detective snuck him dark little glares as he washed his feet, muttering under his breath about 'three-eyed, midget demons that needed a kick in the ass.'

He let the oppressive silence of Yusuke's annoyance go on until the boy abruptly stood, stomping over towards Hiei and shouting,

"What is your _damage_ , Hiei? You've been staring at me for ten freakin' minutes!"

The fire apparition shrugged from his spot on the boulder, positioned half-guarded with one knee hugged to his chest. "I'm enjoying the silence," he finally answered, smirking at Yusuke's replying huff. Before he could think better of it, Hiei went on to say, "and you haven't shut up about Kurama since we left, so I figured I'd leave you to your lovesick fantasies."

He knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left his mouth; he only had a chance to blink before a fist came flying at his face, missing by about a hairsbreadth as the demon dodged. The air thickened around them with Yusuke's mounting energy-that odd, eerie mix of human reiki and demon youkai that went straight to Hiei's head, making him dizzy with it.

"Shut the fuck up," snarled the detective, coming at him with another closed fist, and then another. Hiei dodged the first, but the second caught him off guard; the hard blow to his cheek pushed him back a few paces. "You have no idea what you're talking about, Hiei. So shut. Up."

Spitting out a mouthful of saliva and blood, the apparition laughed darkly.

"Oh no? Then do elaborate, Yusuke. What happened to your little human girl? What would she think, if she knew how his scent clings to you?"

"I _said_ , shut the fuck up!"

A whole barrage of punches came his way this time, and Hiei gave as good as he received. He couldn't remember the last time they'd fought like this, but despite the bad taste in his mouth from their topic of conversation, the fire demon found his mood lightening with every punch that landed, on either side.

Eventually, too tired to go on after what must have been hours of fighting, the two of them called a truce and collapsed against the grass, panting and bloody and bruised.

"Damn," laughed Yusuke brokenly, staring up at the late afternoon sky with brown eyes glazed over, "that was one serious workout."

Hiei made a curt noise of agreement, trying to keep the pain out of his voice as he shifted. "You're staying in shape, at least. Kurama must be keeping you on your toes."

"You know, I've only been talking about him so much because that's what he said to do," Yusuke said suddenly, rolling onto his side as well to face the demon. "Something about a common interest, and all your secret friend feelings about him, and that it would help you feel like this is a safe place to open up, blah blah blah."

Hiei stared at him quietly like he was growing a second head, which would probably be less strange than the words that had left his mouth not minutes before. "...'secret friend feelings?' What in the hell are you going on about?"

And even stranger still, Yusuke suddenly seemed shy, his face warming to a sharp degree. It flushed him a lovely pink shade across the cheeks; horrified, he quickly averted his gaze. "W-well, we've been hanging out a lot since Keiko and I broke up..."

"And?" Hiei pressed on, subconsciously leaning closer to the boy as the other started to speak again, softly.

"And, well... Shit, you're gonna make fun of me. This is stupid, I should have just done this my way to begin with."

'His way,' Hiei learned seconds later, was apparently to full-on attack him with his mouth. They spent a good few minutes rolling around in the grass with their lips locked, pulling away only to pant or groan or hiss.

"So...yeah," mumbled Yusuke as the fire apparition settled in against his side, drowsy and pliant from the exertion of the last of his energy spent kissing. "We've been talking about you, mostly. He tried to give me some pointers on how to, you know, get you to talk to me."

Snorting a laugh, Hiei mouthed at the bruises already forming across Yusuke's stomach, where his head was pillowed. The detective shivered. "It seems we both walked right into his trap, then."

"How do you mean?"

"As a stipulation of the favor owed, he asked that I bring you along. Said you'd been in a mood recently and needed to get away for awhile. This was not long after I admitted to having...thoughts, about you."

A dawning realization began to sparkle in the detective's warm brown eyes. "That bastard."

"Hn."

"That sneaky, wily fox _bastard_ ," Yusuke swore with a fond grin, "he knew we had the hots for each other and decided to send us on some stupid nature hike, convinced me that I needed to talk your ear off about him to bring us closer together, knowing that all it would do is make you jealous enough to start something and make me admit what I was feeling. _Fuck_ , he's _good_."

Hiei smirked against the other's skin. "Either that, or you're just stupid."

Indignant shouting followed, along with more make-out wrestling, despite how tired they both felt.

And in the end Hiei had never felt more glad to have formed a friendship with that sneaky fox bastard. He reminded himself to thank Kurama later as the two of them fell asleep tangled up together some time later, under the stars.


	13. First Time

**"First Time"**

 **pairing:** Hiei/Kurama

 **warnings:** light implications of sex, mentions of panic

* * *

The first time it happened, it almost didn't.

It was at the tail end of a tournament that, for all they knew at the time, spelled the end of their lives. They were down a teammate, and their captain teetered on the edge of a nervous breakdown over her death. They had four matches to get through tomorrow that he knew, logically, they were in no way ready for.

But at the time, his focus was nowhere near those issues. Rather, he'd taken to a somewhat off topic preoccupation to distact himself with. If these were to be his last peaceful moments, he'd figured, he might as well say what needed to be said.

So that night in their shared room, body buzzing with far too much wild energy to consider sleep, what came out was, "you stopped."

He could feel Yusuke in his own room, burning holes into the floorboards with frenzied pacing. Kuwabara's energy rippled empathetically in his sleep, likely trying unconciously to reach out and soothe his harried friend. Kurama sat on the other bed, directly across from him. They'd studied each other in silence for a long time before Hiei could bring himself to break the spell.

"Stopped?" Kurama replied, quiet and hoarse. He sounded exhausted to the bone, yet he made no move to suggest he was ready to sleep, either.

"Yes. This nonsensical dance between us, whatever it is. You stopped." A dance that Hiei knew none of the steps to, and failed miserably at, but tried anyway. A dance of fleeting looks, brushed hands, and silken words. Hiei had played along out of (mostly) curiosity at first, intending to stay just out of armslength until he figured out where they stood, yet here he sat, asking the question he feared the most: "have you simply lost interest, or is it something else?"

For an unbearably long moment, Kurama said nothing. His expression remained blank; a heavy, velvet curtain between Hiei and the fox's innermost thoughts. He gave nothing away, not even through the jade windows of his eyes, but then-he smiled.

Softly, sadly, and perhaps with just a touch of trepidation, he said, "I'm tired of dancing," and reached out a hand.

Hiei's demonic heart skipped a beat, from somewhere near his throat. If he wasn't careful it would close up his airway; he was having trouble breathing already. It took him a few shallow breaths to register the feeling of raw, animal panic flurrying around his gut. He looked from Kurama's hand to his face maybe half a dozen times, contemplating, wondering, fearing that any second longer and the opportunity would be good and dead and Kurama would stop reaching and-

"Hiei, it's all right," the fox said, before his thoughts could spiral any more. "We don't have to do anything, if that isn't what you want. Just be here with me. That's all." His other hand joined its twin, leaving an open and inviting space for Hiei to fit into. "Please."

That word, over anything else, was what finally kicked his head on straight. A simple word, so vulnerable and baring, could speak many volumes, given the right context. Kurama knew how to use words better than any other person he'd ever met-as weapons, as pacifiers, as seducers-but Hiei couldn't think of an instance where he'd ever used that one.

Not like this.

So he stood, and went to him.

He learned a few things that night, other than the fact that there were much more satisfying ways to hear Kurama say " _please_."

He learned that warmth lingered to every place Kurama touched.

He learned that the space between Kurama's arms felt like home, something he'd never had before.

And most importantly, Hiei learned the meaning of the word, "love."

Now, when Kurama reaches for him, Hiei reaches back. Hell, sometimes Hiei reaches first. And when Kurama says, "please," Hiei answers, "yes, always."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Happy new year, folks. Have all the sap, whether I'm completely happy with this one or not.


End file.
